New at doing this, have some questions

[Gilligan_Skippe]

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if you could help me with a few things.

First off-
What is Python, how do you use it, and how will it help me make a scenario?

Second-
How can I add the words at the begining of a scenario? Does it involve python or something else?

Third-
How do you edit XML, and would you even want to? lol.

Thanks!

 

[wotan321]

Check out the folder with guides and tutorials. Its chocked full of info and very useful.

To get a text popup at the beginning of a scenario, simply mimic those in the old American Revolution scenario. It does involve python, editing various files, mainly the events files.

The XML part is much simpler than the Python programming. Again, many quides and tutorials explain exactly how its done.

 

[woodelf]

Welcome to the CFC. Follow wotan's advice and hit the tutorial section. Of the two XML is the easiest to begin editing. You can google XML Marker or another free tool to help you make changes. Some people also use Wordpad.

Before you make any changes you'll need to make a Mod folder so you don't alter any core files. Again, read up on the Tuts and ask specific questions right here later on.

 

[Gilligan_Skippe]

Okay, I followed the tutorial on making a new civilization. I edited the xml files and put them into my mod folder.

Do I need to copy over the whole assets folder into my mod folder?

I downloaded the .dds converter but it gives me an error message that the file wasn't a power of two.

How do I get my map into the scenario?

 

[woodelf]

For the Assets folder I usually just bring over the files that I plan on changing. At first you have your ModName folder with an Assets folder in that. Next an XML folder. (Eventually you may have Art and Python subfolders as well.) From there you can create only the folders you plan on modifying instead of copying the entire XML folder from the core files. So you might have a Units, Civilizations, and Text folders only for now. As you change more of your mod bring over the XML from the main files and drop them into your Mod's Assets.

No idea about the .dds converter error or maps. There is a folder called Public Maps where all maps should be placed so the game can find them when you load a scenario.

 

[Wyz_sub10]

I downloaded the .dds converter but it gives me an error message that the file wasn't a power of two.

DDS file sizes need to be a power of two - i.e. 64x64, 256x256, 512x512

You can have a size like 512x1024, provided that each is a power of two (512 and 1024).

For most DDS files - unit skins, flags, buttons, you'll use a symmetrical value ike 256x256.

 

[Gilligan_Skippe]

DDS file sizes need to be a power of two - i.e. 64x64, 256x256, 512x512

You can have a size like 512x1024, provided that each is a power of two (512 and 1024).

For most DDS files - unit skins, flags, buttons, you'll use a symmetrical value ike 256x256.

Okay that helps a lot.

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[Gilligan_Skippe]

Okay, another quick question.

Is there anyway that I can skip loading the game, adding the mod, then restarting the game?

Thanks!

 

[Wyz_sub10]

Okay, another quick question.

Is there anyway that I can skip loading the game, adding the mod, then restarting the game?

Thanks!

Edit "_Civ4Config". This file is in your main Civ directory, and it contains the information you set in "Options" (i.e. graphic details, etc.) There is a line about halfway down that reads:

; Specify a Mod folder (Mods\Mesopotamia), '0' for none
Mod = 0

Change this line as follows:

; Specify a Mod folder (Mods\Mesopotamia), '0' for none
Mod = Mod Name

This will tell Civ IV to load the mod the first time you start the program. Using this method, you don't need to select 'Advanced' and re-start the game.

 

[Gilligan_Skippe]

Okay. Thanks for the help on that too.

Now I have all the files for the civilization all into the mod folder under assets in the proper folders, but how do I get it to show up when I load the mod? Should it have already if I have followed this tutorial?
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=135459


I get these errors as loading the game with the mod.

What are they, how do I locate what to fix, and how do I fix them?

-Thanks!

 

[Gunner]

It looks like you've just made a few typos in your files.

First of all I'd recommend that you pick up this program: http://symbolclick.com/
Its called XML Marker and its great because it will pickup on when you do silly things like forgetting to close a tag and such.

For the first two errors I would suggest that you go to the line it tells you in the file it tells you Hopefully with XML Marker you should be able to find your typo.

The third error is related to your deletion of the barb civ and barb leader. My simple solution is to not do that I'm pretty sure that you're always supposed to leave the barbs in.

Hope that helps

 

[woodelf]

As Gunner says...add the barbs back in!

 

[Gilligan_Skippe]

Any idea which xml file I add the Barbs back into?

I ran the xml files through with that program, but I still get error messages. Any idea of what is wrong?

 

[Mozza]

I'm pretty new, I have published just a solitary mod thus far. A bit of advice, dowload three or four mods from experianced modders, and pick through them to see what they've done.

 

[woodelf]

One more bit of advice...don't change too much before testing it out. Don't assume that you've done nothing wrong and keep making changes without loading the mod up to check for errors. A lot of errors will simply appear if you have just 1 error. By removing the first error it's amazing how the rest disappear.

The Barbs should have come from Civilizations XMl files. Please tell me you aren't overwriting the main Assets folder. If you aren't then simply find the Assets folder in the main C4 directory, find the XML/Civilizations folder, find the xml file for civilizations and leaders. Find the barbs, c/p them, and then add them back into your mod xml file.

 

[Gilligan_Skippe]

I did exactly what you said with the Barbs. I still get the message. And no I didn't overwrite the main folder, lol.